None ever can without admirers live, Falfe Fame cries-Athens; honeft Truth-Moorfields. Thus fool'd, he flounces on through floods of ink; Flags with full-fail; and rifes but to fink. Some venal pens fo prostitute the bays, But fuch a fhamelefs Mufe muft laughter move, To form great works, puts Fate itself to pain; 28 25 30 Churchills and Drydens rife but once an age. With earthquakes towering Pindar's birth begun; 35 And an eclipfe produc'd Alcmena's fon. The fire of Gods o'er Phoebus caft a fhade; But, with a hero, well the world repaid. No No bard for bribes fhould prostitute his vein; I hate fuch mercenaries, and would try And to court-preachers leave the fulfome part. 40 4-5 What then-You'll fay, Muft no true fterling pafs, Because impure allays fome coin debase ? Yes, praife, if justly offer'd, I'll allow; And, when I meet with merit, fcribble too. The man who's honeft, open, and a friend, Glad to oblige, uneasy to offend; Forgiving others, to himself fevere; 50 Though earnest, eafy; civil, yet fincere; Who feldom but through great good-nature errs; 55 Detefting fraud as much as flatterers ; 'Tis he my Mufe's homage should receive; From his bright urn in pureft cryftal glides; 60 -But, when new-gathering ftreams enlarge his course, 65 And wealth on nations, as he runs, beflows. 'Direct me, Clare, to name fome nobler Mufe, That for her theme thy late recefs may choose; Such bright defcriptions fhall the 'fubject drefs, Such vary'd fcenes, fuch pleafing images, 70 That fwains fhall leave their lawns, and nymphs their bowers, And quit Arcadia for a seat like yours. But fay, who fhall attempt th' adventurous part 75 So Clofe groves, and opening glades with verdure fpread,, And all the bright Horizon fmiling round. Records from whence the Villa took its name. In times of old, when British nymphs were known To love no foreign fashions like their own; 85 When dress was monftrous, and fig-leaves the mode, 90 And quality put on no paint but woad.; Cf Spanish red unheard was then the name (For checks were only taught to blush by shame); No beauty, to increase her crowd of flaves, Rofe out of wash, as Venus out of waves.; 95. Not Not yet lead-comb was on the toilet plac'd ; No No fhape-fmith fet up fhop, and drove a trade The men appear'd a rough, undaunted race, 100 105 110 115 120 · Or coxcombs look'd assuming in affairs; Of oaks, with heads unfhorn, a folemn wood, 125 The The naturalifts are puzzled to explain, How trees did first this stranger entertain ; Whether the bufy birds ingraft it there; Or elfe fome deity's myfterious care, 130 As Druids thought; for, when the blasted oak So facred was the manfion of a God. Shades honour'd by this plant the Druids chofe, Good rules in mild perfuafions they convey'd ; 140 Yet had few laws, but will and appetite. 145 The people's peace they studied, and profeft Hard was their lodging, homely was their food; No mitre'd prieft did then with princes vie, 150 Nor o'er his mafter claim fupremacy; Nor were the rules of faith allow'd more pure, Nor fimony, nor fine-cure, were known; Nor would the Bee work honey for the Drone. |